₦airaland Forum

konoplyanka:
Not Yoruba but the politicians across Nigeria lack the will to effect change.

You mean across the South, Northern politicians duty is to preserve and protect the status quo.

konoplyanka:
You guys just come on social media to to spew bile and silly innuendos.

Tell me when the west has had an agreement with anybody and reneged.

One thing I'm sure of Yoruba is we are progressive and see things rationally. We don't see things from a jaundiced perspective and we are independent in thought- no herd mentality.

We can agree with you and disagree with you when the parameters change and that's the hallmark of a civilized people and we are unapologetic if you guys are too slow to understand the dynamic of civilization.

We showed our resolve when we said no to military regime and our unconditional demand for the thwarted mandate of Abiola. If you guys think anyone could take you serious on anything in Nigeria then show me the battle you have won in Nigeria.

And to those ignoramuses saying the north will never accept restructuring- I say keep your generational inferiority complex to yourselves. Restructuring will be achieved very soon. Nigeria is not restructured due to the lack of political will of our politicians and not your imaginary "powerful north".

This is what I've been telling those who care to listen. Nigeria is yet to be restructured because Yorùbá political elites lacks the willingness to achieve it. They are more concerned with the loot they benefit from this present unitary system. Nigeria not being restructured is not because the North is powerful in the face of Yorùbá opposition but because Yorùbá is on the onlooking mode. A mode we will soon exit.

tellmemore15:
I commend the OP for such a brilliant write up, i love the truth and people who speak it.

Yoruba's to be sincere are one of the problems of this country, thank God they've woken up to their senses but not as we expected.

it's time for southern Nigeria and all communities under threat to come together and face the North once and for all, Northerners are cowards. that's who they are cowards !! and they need to be put in their place finally.

You people should talk to OBJ ooh I dont know what he's seeing in this one Nigeria.

The words of OBJ can only mean little in the ears of the political illiterate in the West. We know him for who he is; a bastard and Northern proxy. Leave him, we are not his people.

konoplyanka:
You guys just come on social media to to spew bile and silly innuendos.

Tell me when the west has had an agreement with anybody and reneged.

One thing I'm sure of Yoruba is we are progressive and see things rationally. We don't see things from a jaundiced perspective and we are independent in thought- no herd mentality.

We can agree with you and disagree with you when the parameters change and that's the hallmark of a civilized people and we are unapologetic if you guys are too slow to understand the dynamic of civilization.

We showed our resolve when we said no to military regime and our unconditional demand for the thwarted mandate of Abiola. If you guys think anyone could take you serious on anything in Nigeria then show me the battle you have won in Nigeria.

And to those ignoramuses saying the north will never accept restructuring- I say keep your generational inferiority complex to yourselves. Restructuring will be achieved very soon. Nigeria is not restructured due to the lack of political will of our politicians and not your imaginary "powerful north".

Well said my brother...

Greenback:
chaataap yur mouth there..if someone mentioned the word Afonja now,u will be shouting like a .....

Op made mention of more than a decade long event buh you yorubas keep repeating historic blunders and mistakes even in the 21st century. Biafra in the 60s and ipob now were an attempt to right wrongs and a grand opportunity for us southerners to see the bigger picture for us to address fundamental issues buh the same yoruba beat the loudest drum against them...

Op,you surely should've known and highlighted that.


chaataap yur mouth there..if someone mentioned the word Afonja now,u will be shouting like a .....

Op made mention of more than a decade long event buh you yorubas keep repeating historic blunders and mistakes even in the 21st century. Biafra in the 60s and ipob now were an attempt to right wrongs and a grand opportunity for us southerners to see the bigger picture for us to address fundamental issues buh the same yoruba beat the loudest drum against them...

Op,you surely should've known and highlighted that.

What is this one ranting and wailing about? Can't comprehend.

knowledgeable:
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"Rubbish", Igbos perished in their numbers, aided by your kind, for wanting to point out to your kind, middle belt people and the rest that the war was levied against them for being Igbo and Christians....only to fell on deaf ears.

The best regional restructured government could have come out of Aburi, but the Tiv man reneged. Every body were shouting one Nigeria or nothing. Just look at Nigerians and Nigeria after 50 years of war. Igbos believe in one Nigeria 2× more than any other major group in Nigeria because of their deep penetrating engaging with other Nigerian cultures through commerce, travelling etc. They are more interested in the nuts and bolts of one Nigeria all these non thinking groups have being shouting of.

If you are not a good friend of history, please do hide your ignorance by not commenting on this piece.

SIRTee15:
Now another big issue bothering on restructuring amongst yorubas, is whether we can survive without nigeria vis a viz naija delta oil.....
Now let's get something clear, all regions in nigeria can survive independent of each other....
Every region is endowed with both natural n human resources required to build a nation.....
If only we can turn away from Abuja n look inward.....
Every region is indeed blessed....
We should not because of oil insist on this acrimonious union......
It's glaring to even the blind that it's not working......
Thus no gainsaying that Yoruba can survive alone and progress at her own pace towards a prosperous n viable socioeconomic pathway......

I understand that the misgovernance of our present leaders has sowed the seed of doubt among our youth.....
But we need to get something clear, the future n prospect of the yoruba nation is bigger than some bunch of clueless n self-serving leaders.....

Yoruba fear of the unknown can be best described as the Stockholm syndrome.....
We know we are trapped but we feel it's better to survive in this captivity than take our chances n chart a new and independent course.....
That's so wrong on so many levels n this mindset must be crushed.....
We must liberalize our minds in order to know who we are n what we are capable of achieving as a nation.....

Yoruba best days was during the regional era of the 50s.....
We achieved a lot of firsts n an unpredecented prosperity......
Those legacies are still very much visible today......
Not because awolowo n co were genius or saints....
No....
Rather they undertook radical initiatives n bold steps that were beyond the scope of their time.....
They were men of Vision n mission.....
We've all heard about the universal free education embarked upon by Awo....
What we didn't know was as at the time the initiative commenced, there was no money in the vault n the region couldn't afford such project......
No adequate schools to accommodate the huge number of pupils to be enrolled....
there weren't enough teachers....
No adequate uniforms n pupils had to share notebooks in class.....
Some felt it will bankrupt the region.....
Despite all these seemingly insurmountable problems, the program kicked off and eventually became a phenomenal success......
Also in that era, when the western world wanted us to focus on agriculture.......
Awo practically industrialize the whole of ikeja to ilupeju, building numerous Industrial estates......
This remarkable initiative was replicated in so many yoruba towns, such that there no major town in the region that doesn't have its own industrial estate.....
When the issue of power tussle along ethnic line reared its ugly head in UI n unilag, Awo simply built a world class university in ife......
As at its completion, it was regarded as the most beautiful campus in Africa......
We achieved all these without any oil money but from resources within our region......
Now what have we achieved with oil money.......
Nothing much, I'm afraid....
Then, don't u think it makes sense we go back to a formula that worked for us than stick to an unworkable formula....
I keep saying it, SW was the worst hit with this present unitary govt.....
It sets us back, stagnated our development n allowed other regions to catch up.....
When we look at things holistically, we've lost more than we received from this unitary system, it is a net loss for SW.....
And I think it's time to demand for that which worked for us......

I'll come back n talk about the youths n osinbajo factor.....

Thank you. You nail it and I will love to see more of your comments here. You are indeed a true son of the Yorùbáland. I have spoken widely to people about the need for either an autonomous government that have control over resources, internal security, judiciary and make its own laws within the confines of a loose federation of Nigeria or an independent Ọmọlúwàbí country as our means to the collective development and prosperity that we the Yorùbá have been denied for over half a century. Certainly, I will continue to do this even if I am labeled as a Yorùbá separatist. I am born a Yorùbá, raised by Yoruba as a Yorùbá man, will continue to live as a Yorùbá and die a Yorùbá without owing nobody any apology.

zendy:
So Yorubas are now considering self determination? These were people who constantly attacked Nnamdi Kanu for his expression of self determination.

Now the same Yorubas now think it is a viable option if Nigeria is not restructured? Who is fooling who? Yorubas dont have what it takes to agitate for either restructuring or self determination. The best that Yorubas will do is just make mere pronouncement which will end up as mere words. Their agitation never goes beyond words.

Those who should talking about restructuring or self determination are those who have gone beyond talking to actually agitating, people in the SS/SE area

We do not talk merely my dear friend, we talk and act until we are fulfilled. That is the difference between us and the rest. Now that we are talking, you should expect action.

SIRTee15:
Ogbeni, I don't have ur time... This no need to throw banter with u... If u are not proud of your lineage, where ever that is.... Then u are not worth it.... And don't even bother quoting me.... Cos I don't deem u a reply....

Please ignore him, I know his type and I believe you do too.

ReubenE:
Good write up, no doubt. However, the psychological background of the piece is part of the problem. I expected the writer to rue the actions of those young Nigerian soldiers that ceased power in 1966 without playing the ethnic card. From what I know, the coup plotters were from more than one ethnic group. Because it suits the regular narrative, it is no longer Nigerian soldiers, but Igbo soldiers. This is one among the many reasons why there is so much hate in the country.

Is Major. Nzeogwu the reason why the Nigerian government has failed to do anything right since 1970, even the rudiments of administration? Is the coup responsible for the massive stealing that the country has witnessed in the past? Is the coup responsible for the so many deaths we have recorded in the nation? From political motivated, to the ones with ritual and religious undertone? My brother, Nigeria was bound to fail from the day she was created.

The Kano riot of 1956, the election crisis of 1964, census crisis and several others had the potentials to lead us to where we are today. Neither the Igbo nor the Yoruba is solely responsible for our political cum economic desertification, but our collective refusal to agree that Nigeria is not a nation but a mere territorial space where each ethnic group try to grab as much as they can from its belly.

As long as we continue to pretend that Nigeria will get better, the more pernicious and complex our problems would become.
The big question is whether there is hope for this country; frankly it does not look likely because the minorities killed Nigeria in their minds the day the WAZOBIA nonsense was propagated, and it will remained buried until when we stop the pretence.


Nonetheless, I support the writer's call for self determination because Nigeria has proven herself to be an expired product.

I don't see any ethnic card here, all I see was an account of a coup which involves five Nigerian soldiers(four from the Igbo stock and one from the Yorùbá stock). The victims of the coup were mainly Hausa/Fulani and Yorùbá.

Third and fourth paragraph nailed it well. There is no hope for a Nigeria with unitary system. It is either regional autonomy or self determination.

jhubril:
Who has fed on the lies and the straw man fallacy ,and had a bloated stomach as a result? It you who are a sickly ,amoral tribalist. I'm Yoruba to the backbone and by the grace of God a conscientious human being who finds people like you highly detestable.

If a particular post/article/writeup is detestable to you, after reading it the first time; do not comment on it and do not visit it again. At least, that is what common sense demands. Moreso, this writeup is meant for rational people who understand that Nigeria can not experience development in this present political structure to discuss the alternatives presented by the writer. People like you can read it but it is not for people like you to comment on.

jhubril:
The only tribe that possesses the vitality and energy of industry ,at the moment, are in the east. But it is a point of fact that this quality is made useless by their apparent lack of political will.

The Yoruba have an exaggerated view of themselves in relations to others. There is 'their own version of superiority' over other tribes in Nigeria .

I can see that you are afraid of what the Yorùbá is capable of doing and you are afraid. Enjoy the fear and inferiority complex.

valentineuwakwe:
it will lead to nothing...even among the Yorubas, we still have some major divisions.....

Times are changing changing my dear brother. You will be surprised.

bonechamberlain:
am surprise u guys are talking about regional autonomy or self determination.

one thing I know is that no matter how the north view the east, they would always respect the east. the reasons are obvious, when the east is for you they are for you, when they are against you they are against you, when they stand on an issue they stand firmly no fence sitting and speaking from both sides. that's why any alignment between the north and east, the east gets it easily and gets a fair deal, even Doyin Okukpe attested to this.

no one would take the west serious until they are ready to stand firmly on issues. and not criticising one issue today because it wasn't initiated by them and supporting the same issue they criticised when things don't favour them. just like this issue of self determination u are talking about.

Again, history is always there to tell. If Yorùbá says A, they do A. If Yorùbá says Bush, they do B. Finally, Yorùbá don't hesitate to turn against a supposed ally if the agree on D and the ally is doing O. That is who we are.

ReubenE:
Good write up, no doubt. However, the psychological background of the piece is part of the problem. I expected the writer to rue the actions of those young Nigerian soldiers that ceased power in 1966 without playing the ethnic card. From what I know, the coup plotters were from more than one ethnic group. Because it suits the regular narrative, it is no longer Nigerian soldiers, but Igbo soldiers. This is one among the many reasons why there is so much hate in the country.

Is Major. Nzeogwu the reason why the Nigerian government has failed to do anything right since 1970, even the rudiments of administration? Is the coup responsible for the massive stealing that the country has witnessed in the past? Is the coup responsible for the so many deaths we have recorded in the nation? From political motivated, to the ones with ritual and religious undertone? My brother, Nigeria was bound to fail from the day she was created.

The Kano riot of 1956, the election crisis of 1964, census crisis and several others had the potentials to lead us to where we are today. Neither the Igbo nor the Yoruba is solely responsible for our political cum economic desertification, but our collective refusal to agree that Nigeria is not a nation but a mere territorial space where each ethnic group try to grab as much as they can from its belly.

As long as we continue to pretend that Nigeria will get better, the more pernicious and complex our problems would become.
The big question is whether there is hope for this country; frankly it does not look likely because the minorities killed Nigeria in their minds the day the WAZOBIA nonsense was propagated, and it will remained buried until when we stop the pretence.


Nonetheless, I support the writer's call for self determination because Nigeria has proven herself to be an expired product.

No ethnic card was played and the coup plotters were five; four Igbos and one Yorùbá. The Yorùbá can be regarded as the Obasanjo type; they are Yorùbá by birth but not Yorùbá by loyalty or association. Nigeria was not meant to be productive in this present shape. Thus the call for regional autonomy or self determination.

jhubril:
A recycled attempt to glorify your race while putting others down .

It is not an attempt to glorify the Yorùbá, the Yorùbá have been great for a very long time. Like people will say; be a friend of history.

zendy:
Anyone hoping for restructuring is wasting their time because everyone knows that the core North will never agree to it. The only organ that can restructure Nigeria is the National Assembly abd the Core North control over half of its membership. So how will anyone pass a bill on restructuring if the North does not support it? Its impossible

So, that leaves self determination. Eventually, most ethnic nationalities in the South who think Nnamdi Kanu is a fool will eventually have to do what he did, or remain slaves of the North forever.

Restructuring or self determination; it is one way or another.

shervydman:
The north wants cattle colony and d south doesn't......cattle colony was dropped at d end of the day. That means the north is not the sole dictator of Nigeria.

The North actually do control Nigeria; they take from the South to develop their region, they assume they will get what they want every time and anytime they want it, they believe they are the ó ẹ that replaced the British rule, they see Nigeria as the Hausa/Fulani colony, and our leaders have allowed them the luxury of feeling that way for a very long time (since the second couple was successful). This needs to stop and the situation be reversed.

SpecialAdviser:
Nice write up. This is why I was mad at Yorubas who were insulting Nnamdi KANU.

Some of his methods may not look descent but his objective would have been a major focus. It takes crazy people with radical ideology to change a system. History is your friend. Social media warriors like u and I cannot change anything.

In which ways has one Nigeria benefited Yorubas? I have argued with some who point at Lagos. These are people who can be likened to those who drink pure and are rejoicing because they have seen others drink tap water. They forget that there are still people drinking bottled water? Who told u Lagos won't be fine without Nigeria?

My dear, one Nigeria is a scam. All of us cannot be stupid at the same time.

Thanks for the compliment. I do believe there is much we can achieve through social media. It will take efforts of youths like I and you to reach our fellow youths. There is little the elders can do and the fight is not about them anymore but about us and our progeny.

REGIONAL AUTONOMY OR SELF DETERMINATION: A WAY FORWARD FOR THE YORÙBÁ

The tragedy of Nigeria is that in spite of an history that has lasted more than a century of amalgamation, it is still strongly divided along the major ethnic lines, while religion still plays an important role in its politics. This is so because Nigeria is not a product of natural evolution but the imagination of some people outside the African continent. Sadly, this imagination has forced Nigeria into a spiral along the cyclone of backwardness, underdevelopment and State failure due to the country failure to adopt one of the finest laws of nature which ensured that the cells of liver can only form the organ called liver and that of the kidney can only form the kidney to prevent cellular chaos.

At best, these organs along with other cellular organizations can now come together to form sustainable systems and ultimately an organism. This process is called organization; a process that once define Nigeria's political and economic structure before the destructive coup d'etat that struck the country twice in 1966. Today's Nigeria is a country that can be likened to a scenario of amalgamated Japan, Korea and China with French as their lingua franca. As a country, these three distinct nations will never take a step forward, they will continue to be at loggerheads and will continue to look for an escape out of such unholy union.

It is an amalgamation that is cancerous in nature and essence, for the cells of kidney has been inoculated with that of liver which will continually be at war with one another until they die out; leaving no room for cooperation, survival, growth and productivity. This is a consequence of the failure of these different cells to agree, to cooperate and to survive, and it is when they are able to survive, that they will grow and ultimately produce. Thus, cooperation, survival, growth and productivity will cease to exist in any society that has failed to organize itself based on this natural law. Hence, there is almost a zero possibility that the Yorùbá nation, Igbo nation and Hausa/Fulani nation can be eternally forced together with a language that was never theirs.

This is so because we are a people of different culture, tradition and language with the Yorùbá having over a thousand years of history which makes it a union that is bound to fail. It is to prevent this failure that the British government; our colonial master, gifted to us the regional government which birthed the post colonial golden era of the Yorùbá before some Igbo military officers destroyed this good political and economic structure through military coup. The latter then allowed the Hausa/Fulani this unacceptable domination through a counter military coup that put an end to the ruling of the first military coup plotters. However, we can not allow these dark events that has shaped our post-1966 till date to continue to do so for the sake of our collective peace, uunity, prosperity and security.

Thus, we must restructure this country in accordance to the 1960 arrangement and if we fail at this sacred duty, one nation or the other will be forced into divorce from this unholy union. It is either regional autonomy with territory based on 1958 recognition or the invoking of rights to self determination as guaranteed by the United Nations(UN) chatter by the Yorùbá. It is not sustainable to be generating revenue in Yorùbáland to fund the lives of the Hausa/Fulani or the extravagance of our political elite; most of them being Hausa/Fulani. Gone are the days we work hard only for the fruits of our labour to be shipped to London, and we must not allow the Northern part of this country to continue to replace that London.

I know it will not be easy because the Hausa/Fulani have total control of the Nigerian State either directly or through proxies but we must rise to the occasion and save the future of our children from the domination of Hausa/Fulani; a people not as sophisticated as the Yorùbá. The Yorùbá youth get educated to acquire skills so as to be qualified to work in relevant capacity yet that capacity is not created, and when it exists only the privileged enjoy such opportunity. While the cost of education remain on the rise with little or no use at all for the certificate that will be acquired in the end.

Majority of us do not know what prosperity is anymore and only see it in the lives of those that are either thieves or corrupt public servants and this comes with great consequences that endanger our values and development as a people. The society does not value earning with dignity anymore, integrity is abandoned and vices are what that are now dignified by our people because the Yorùbá leadership has failed to provide direction that will ensure the needed continuous growth of ability and capacity to drive development, provide jobs, ensure security and prosperity of our people.

Unlike many of us that will want to believe that there is nothing we can do to change the tides of things except we wait on God, I say to you; the future of man rest in his hands and God will not come down to remove corruption from our minds nor will God come down to save us from bad leadership and the apathy we show towards governance. God will only make use of men that are ready and willing to save the day and it is up to us whose culture, traditions and regional development are being threatened and undermined by a Hausa/Fulani dominated Nigeria to rise up to this righteous work. We must do this for ourselves; we must do this for our children and ultimately, we must do this for a prosperous, peaceful and secured Yorùbáland.

Abiola Akintunde is a political commentator based in Ìbàdàn, Nigeria. He tweets at @AAbiolat on twitter and can be reached via paulakintunde@gmail.com

Visit www.abiolaoakintunde. to read other posts by Abiola Akintunde.

Corruption is the major factor behind the retrogression of the Nigerian state into the depth of underdevelopment, a singular reason for the apathy which the welfarism and security of Nigerians suffers endlessly from, and the primary motivation for participation in politics and public service. To simply put it, corruption is the attitude that has replaced patriotic value and has become celebrated as much as patriotism should have been celebrated.

The primary reasons Nigerians voted President Muhammadu Buhari into power, was their trust in his capacity to return discipline into our society and to cruelly deal with this monster crippling the country’s economy – corruption, at a time when they can no longer tolerate nor endure the impunity of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) administrations. Though discipline is still far from being the character shaping the daily conduct of Nigerians, but since Buhari took over power, the war against corruption has been gathering momentum.

Many prominent people who believed to be sacred cows have been bundled into detention facilities by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC); a development which many has believed to be an attempt to cripple the major opposition - PDP, a true witch-hunt in the guise of fight against corruption. Since the beginning of the year, a number of prominent people have been arrested in the ongoing fight against corruption and those who are guilty of looting the nation’s treasury, have any affiliation with PDP and have not yet been arrested are in fear of being picked up at any time by the anti-graft agency.

At the centre of the fight against corruption by President Buhari's administration is the sum of $2.1 billion meant to procure arms to fight the menace of Boko Haram insurgency which were diverted and shared among top politicians. In the arms purchase scandal alone, the EFCC has arrested and grilled over 20 persons. Except for the unpopular Lawal Jafaru Isa, whom he was said to be a member of the All Progressive Congress(APC), every other persons that the fight against corruption have been taken to their door post are PDP stakeholders.

Though Buhari's administration have incessantly continue to reassure Nigerians that it's corruption fight was not directed at those whose door post lack the broom symbol but at those who are responsible for the wreckage of Nigeria's economy, the question on the lips of average Nigerians is that; are the veteran APC politicians really saint and unworthy to be associated with corruption? How true is it that only PDP politicians are solely responsible for the wreckage of Nigeria's economy?

The contradiction of these questions to reality can never be over exaggerated as today's reality of politics is one which does not priorities welfarism and security of Nigerians but only pretends to do so superficially. The damages done to the sovereignty, self sustainability and development of the Nigerian state by PDP policies and their administrations can never be understated neither can the complicity of APC politicians and their administration in undermining Nigeria be overstated.

Corruption is an evil that must be confronted without bias if we must defeat it and it is a good development that politicians are being held accountable for their loot, though it is being politicised and enveloped with political bias. The struggle of definition to be associated with the present ongoing fight against corruption have seen youths who are supposed to be the guarantors of Nigeria's future become the advocates of a bias corruption fight and defendants of the very evil that incapacitated us all - corruption.

It is audible to the deaf and visible to the blind that EFCC is bundling corrupt PDP officials into custody incessantly, from Dasuki to Metuh to Omokore to Ikimi to Fani-Kayode just to mention a few. It is also audible to the deaf and visible to the blind that veteran corrupt APC officials are part of the Buhari's cabinet enjoying all that being a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have to offer. From Amaechi to Fashola to Ogbeh to Fayemi, the politcizaton of tackling graft resonates as a reward for their unwavering support for Buhari's towards his election.

It is impossible to advance yourself as an anti-corruption crusader when the major benefactors of your campaign are among the most corrupt Nigerians, and this is today's reality. It has become very difficult to beam the anti-corruption searchlight on APC stakeholders who are known to have been less, equally or more corrupt than their PDP counterparts. This is nothing but an insincere approach to fight against corruption. The vote of Nigerians to install Buhari as the pilot of Nigeria's affairs is turning into an endorsement to fight corrupt opposition and spare corrupt members of the ruling party.

Just like the biblical blood of the lamb on the door post of Isrealites which guaranteed the passing over of the angel killing all firstborn in Egypt, the broom which is the symbol of the APC is the mark needed on your door post if as a corrupt individual, you needed the fight against corruption to pass over you. The broom and the door post approach can never Keep an average Nigerian from being corrupt neither will it save Nigeria's economy from falling apart under the weight of corruption.

For President Buhari to live up to expectations of a progressive Nigerian, he must abandon the broom and the door post approach to corruption fight and ensure that all are equal in the face of anti-corruption fight.


Twitter: @AAbiolat
Blog: www.abiolaoakintunde.

Just like the biblical blood of the lamb on the door post of Israelites which guaranteed the passing over of the angel killing all firstborn in Egypt, the broom which is the symbol of the APC is the mark needed on your door post if as a corrupt individual, you needed the fight against corruption to pass over you.

Corruption is the major factor behind the retrogression of the Nigerian state into the depth of underdevelopment, a singular reason for the apathy which the welfarism and security of Nigerians suffers endlessly from, and the primary motivation for participation in politics and public service.

The primary reasons Nigerians voted President Muhammadu Buhari into power, was their trust in his capacity to return discipline into our society and to cruelly deal with this monster crippling the country’s economy – corruption, at a time when they can no longer tolerate nor endure the impunity of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administrations.

Though discipline is still far from being the character shaping the daily conduct of Nigerians, but since Buhari took over power, the war against corruption has been gathering momentum.
Many prominent people who believed to be sacred cows have been bundled into detention facilities by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

It is a development which many has believed to be an attempt to cripple the major opposition - PDP, a true witch-hunt in the guise of fight against corruption.

At the centre of the fight against corruption by President Buhari's administration is the sum of $2.1 billion meant to procure arms to fight the menace of Boko Haram insurgency which were diverted and shared among top politicians.
In the arms purchase scandal alone, the EFCC has arrested and grilled over 20 persons.

Except for the unpopular Lawal Jafaru Isa, whom he was said to be a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC), every other persons that the fight against corruption have been taken to their door post are PDP stakeholders.

The damages done to the sovereignty, self-sustainability and development of the Nigerian state by PDP policies and their administrations can never be understated neither can the complicity of APC politicians and their administration in undermining Nigeria be overstated.

Corruption is an evil that must be confronted without bias if we must defeat it and it is a good development that politicians are being held accountable for their loot, though it is being politicised and enveloped with political bias.

The struggle of definition to be associated with the present ongoing fight against corruption have seen youths who are supposed to be the guarantors of Nigeria's future become the advocates of a bias corruption fight and defendants of the very evil that incapacitated us all - corruption.

It is audible to the deaf and visible to the blind that EFCC is bundling corrupt PDP officials into custody incessantly, from Dasuki to Metuh to Omokore to Ikimi to Fani-Kayode just to mention a few.

It is also audible to the deaf and visible to the blind that veteran corrupt APC officials are part of the Buhari's cabinet enjoying all that being a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have to offer.

From Amaechi to Fashola to Ogbeh to Fayemi, the politicisation of tackling graft resonates as a reward for their unwavering support for Buhari's towards his election.

It is impossible to advance yourself as an anti-corruption crusader when the major benefactors of your campaign are among the most corrupt Nigerians, and this is today's reality.

It has become very difficult to beam the anti-corruption searchlight on APC stakeholders who are known to have been less, equally or more corrupt than their PDP counterparts.

This is nothing but an insincere approach to fight against corruption.

The vote of Nigerians to install Buhari as the pilot of Nigeria's affairs is turning into an endorsement to fight corrupt opposition and spare corrupt members of the ruling party.

Just like the biblical blood of the lamb on the door post of Israelites which guaranteed the passing over of the angel killing all firstborn in Egypt, the broom which is the symbol of the APC is the mark needed on your door post if as a corrupt individual, you needed the fight against corruption to pass over you.

The broom and the door post approach can never Keep an average Nigerian from being corrupt neither will it save Nigeria's economy from falling apart under the weight of corruption.

For President Buhari to live up to expectations of a progressive Nigerian, he must abandon the broom and the door post approach to corruption fight and ensure that all are equal in the face of anti-corruption fight.

Twitter: @AAbiolat on twitter
Blog: www.abiolaoakintunde.

Hope; this has been our last resort from time immemorial. When will the realisation begins?

The Hot Tears of A Nigerian Youth



Like a whisper I heard my name but carted away was my attention, the whisper persistently became louder. "Who increased the volume of the radio set?" I asked, not knowing I am being called upon. "Where were you?" I was asked. I could not give an answer to the question. My oblivion was becoming more often.

I began to ignore my responsibilities as I was always imprisoned by my thoughts, Eating became a challenge to overcome daily, and so also shelter. Job is available only for the privileged, work is for the preferred, as struggle remains the plight of the neglected. Obviously I have every reason to be in seclusion, locked away in deep thought; wondering what will become of me, or that which I will become, for both I know nothing about. Even though I have aspirations regarding what I wish to become, but the struggles that have taken me to where I am are enough to reflect upon the lots of challenges that are bound to be encountered.

Lost in these thoughts I reminisced on my struggles, and the pains my parents went through - "how they strived to feed me, the difficulties they faced in sending me to school, hoping that when I'm through with secondary school I will be able to support them and improve their livelihood and halt their struggles, but to their disappointment, I added to their burden as I struggled to enter university, State-owned I chose hoping to benefit from its low cost advantage, not knowing that haters of the common man were in power, they increased the tuition fee again and my parents had to intensify their strife again, in doing so, their comfort bled so that I may have comfort in abundance. Cry I cry, tears I shed, pain I felt as I knew how hard things were for them. Passion derived from a quest to support them and improve their livelihood, from the promise not to disappoint is what I had and I channelled towards studying extra hard to appreciate their efforts, and excel I excelled.

However I discovered that, studying extra hard was the least of my worries, I was made to realise I had to settle my lecturers, Settle they called it, bribe I knew it as, or my CGPA will be deflated with pumping machine and brilliance would definitely be wasted. I stood my ground sticking to my sense of morality, I did not bribe any lecturer, I studied hard, attended every lectures, did every assignments and attempted all CAs and examinations. I could not afford bribe even if I wanted to for
with empty stomach I trudged to campus to receive lectures a number of times significant enough that they could not be accounted for.

But at the end I graduated not with 1st class nor 2nd class upper, on 2nd class lower I stood. Proud of it I am till today and then, orientation camp I went with nothing but transport fare to serve my nation with all my best, and with all my best I served my nation. Though, I could not accommodate the deterioration in education, Nor turn a blind eye to the destruction of our value system, the reality I did not know was that life is even more challenging after youth service."

As I looked deeply into what was happening, into situations full of abyss, Situations where I was wholly involved, kidnapped by its riddles and the ransom for its understanding turned out to be a mystery. An employer of labour, I was not, for I would have employed a mystery solver. I was cut off from reality, yet I appeared to be very much around. Even the house rat was inquisitive of what was becoming of me. Everyone around were always asking, but these worries would not allow me to float.

These worries of life that remain within me became a burden for me to bear. I tried to fight them but I was just a weakling and this burden left me nothing but a sick bed, where I was free of all worries but not of my recovery.

Twitter: @AAbiolat
https://abiolaoakintunde.

People died because of the strike and that shows how important the health sector is. Use of force is not a viable solution

On June 21st, it was shocking that Nigeria could once again retrace the path of anarchy, as the federal government ordered the replacement of striking resident doctors nationwide. This was announced in spite of ongoing negotiations; many of which had failed, on the demands put forward by the representatives of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association.

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, in a circular signed by Amina Shamaki, permanent secretary of the ministry directed Chief Medical Directors(CMDs) and Medical Directors(MDs) of FG tertiary health institutions to fill the vacancies created by resident doctors who have “abandoned” their programme. A decision that was taken a day after resident doctors in government hospitals embarked on a nationwide strike.

It is natural for people to demand for better working conditions and packages, neither is it illegal for workers to embark on industrial action to ensure that their employers do not remain rigid in addressing their concerns to secure a better welfare package. What is irresponsible, is for the government to ignore the message the strike is encoding, and intentionally misrepresent the message to justify it's irresponsible decision.

It was true that NARD did not allow the bad state of Nigeria's economy to fully dictates it's stand during negotiations, but to see attempts to continue to bring closer the differences of NARD and the government as unproductive, abandoning such attempts and the use of state power to put an end to the stalemate by sacking the striking doctors is irresponsible of the government.

It is only those that celebrates anarchy that will conduct themselves in the manner the Nigerian government had done, it is only those that believe in use of force that will consider firing striking workers and hiring new set of workers as a strategy to resolve labour crisis. The circular of anarchy reads: “It has come to the notice of the Management of the Ministry that some Resident Doctors in your establishment have voluntarily withdrawn from the Residency Training Program by refusing to report for training without authorization."

The odour of anarchy became impossible to cover after the circular that directed striking doctors to be sacked stated that: "In view of this development, you are hereby directed to replace all the Doctors that have withdrawn their services, with others from the pool of applicants for the training programs in the various disciplines in order not to create ominous gap in training with attendant disruption of health care delivery in your facility."

The question is; if the federal government which is expected to lead by example can behave so irresponsible and walk the path of anarchy in resolving labour crisis, what should be expected from state governments which are known for their undemocratic practices in dealing with labour crisis? Why would the government be interested in dragging out a strike that have locked down our teaching hospitals, denying Nigerians access to healthcare services and may create a situation whereby resident doctors may no longer be resident in hospitals for a long time?

The lack of understanding that even if these doctors are replaced, sooner or later, their replacement will also agitate for improved welfare package is diminishing for a government. Minster of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole, has been the most criticised for such government decision and as argued by many, he was solely responsible for the decision. An argument that acquit President Buhari of involvement. On the contrary, Prof Adewole can not single handedly come to such conclusion without the President rubber stamping it. This catastrophic measure was the doing of President Buhari.

To those saying that what if the President knew nothing about it, I say assuredly that Prof. Isaac Adewole would have been sacked for sacking over 14,000 workers on his own and bringing the government under the beam of public criticism on its show of anarchy and irresponsible display. But this did not happen. We can not continue to live under the pretence that all is well and neither can we continue to exempt the President from the bad conduct of his administration.

If this government will continue to appeal to Nigerians to support it towards restoring the country to the path of development, the government must desist from nailing those that are seeking to exercise their fundamental rights to the cross. Though NARD has suspended the strike which it embarked upon on June 20th, the impression that the government coarse NARD to suspend the strike surely saturated the minds of Nigerians.


Abiola Akintunde is a political commentator based in Nigeria. He tweets at @AAbiolat on twitter, blogs on www.abiolaoakintunde. and can be reached via paulakintunde@gmail.com

Sure... Like Newton said: "To every action, there is equal or opposite reaction" Nothing is without consequence or reward, time dictates which

Lol... How you take warn them bro?

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Today, the results of the United Kingdom(UK) polls on deciding the fate of its membership in the European Union(EU) which have lasted over four decades, shocked the world. Like every other relationship, there are benefits to gain, pains to suffer and times when the relationship will be reviewed for continuity or divorce depending on which weigh the most; gain or pain.

The UK-EU relationship review is a review that was popularly expected to favour remaining in the EU. Britons had carefully weigh the troubles EU membership have brought to their shore and the opportunities created and have concluded on which weigh the most, defying the call of their government to vote remain.

To give both parties involved in the review a justified opportunity to convince the British public which weigh the most, the government had declared the campaign open four months ago. A struggle that revealed the benefits of remaining and leaving the EU, a struggle that convinced the working class of an assured future with either EU or an independent UK.

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The campaign that has dominated the public domain since four months ago when it was declared open, have seen experts discussed much about what the European Union will look like after a British Exit(Brexit) from the Union. The party which favored remaining in the EU; the remain party, have argued to remind Britons of thousands of jobs that would be lost and an economy that would shrink considerably in case of Brexit.

The panic in London over a Brexit from the EU has forced the UK government to discourage Britons from voting leave through its influence over mainstream media and financial institutions which decided to be economical with the benefits of voting leave and have been generous with consequences of voting leave, an attitude that was directly opposite when it was about voting remain.

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With much to remember from the past before the UK surrendered its sovereignty to European Economic Community, the predecessor of EU, in 1973, the party which favored leaving the EU; the leave party, have much to say considering the erosion of UK's sovereignty, and lack of authority on laws that govern foreign and domestic policy of the UK government. These two reasons costituted the foundation of the pains EU membership has caused UK.

Pre-1973 witnessed UK as the world's first industrialised country; the greatest empire in history with almost a quarter of the world land mass, a courageous country that came out victorious during the first and second world wars, a country that ensured it's national security and economic buoyancy without outside help, a member of the founding four( Soviet Union, United States, United Kingdom and China) that founded the United Nations(UN).

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Post-1973 witnessed UK as a country which imports from the EU outweigh its exports to the EU, a country which can no longer guarantee it's national security independently and have to depend on US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) for its security, a country which can no longer meets domestic demand locally and have to depend on its European neighbors to meet its internal demand, a country which have no say over who enters it's territory and how many will be allowed to cross into its borders.

UK became weaker and it is getting weaker as Brussels become stronger, a phenomenon that put the fate of the majority in the hand of an unelected few. The welfare programmes are fading away as housing and healthcare services are destined for privatisation. The influence of UK in the international community is diminishing and the ability to defend it's national interest is being given away in the name of EU membership.

These are what the leave party campaigned to encourage Britons to vote leave, a vote that might restore the sovereignty of UK, and restore the power to make law over what Britons want and not what some unelected few want if the government will be committed to rebuilding UK as a sovereign country independent of others economically and militarily. The UK referendum was about the United Kingdom becoming stronger as a sovereign and independent country or surrendering it's sovereignty to empower the enelected few in Brussels.

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The hectoring, the bullying, the scare-stories failed to dent the resolve of Britons to leave the European Union in favour of building a country where prosperity will not become the privilege of the upper class alone but a feat attainable for all who will work diligently, failed. Though the financial markets have certainly taken the view that the decision to leave the European Union is bad news for the United Kingdom in the near term at least, the benefits in the long term surely outweighs the loss in the near term.

The task now is to unite the country, to rebuild the country to a status that both Leavers and Remainers can accept. The Prime Minister; David Cameron, have decided to leave Number 10 Downing Street in the next three months after more than half of the country’s voters have defied him on the biggest political decision for a generation. Irrespective of who occupies Number 10, a new slate will be ready to write a new history upon.

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The last time a referendum was held on EU membership by UK was in 1975 and 67% of voters voted to remain in the European Economic Community; the predecessor of European Union.

Abiola Akintunde is a political commentator based in Nigeria. He tweets at @AAbiolat on twitter and can be reached via paulakintunde@gmail.com

So much have been said by stakeholders, commentators and Observer's on the issue of fuel hike. It is disappointing that much of these arguments were presented based on political inclination and favouritism, when we should be concerned about the economic consequences and rewards.

Knowing this, I felt terrible that the supposed intellectuals are the ones engaging in political propaganda which is misinforming Nigerians about what is really happening to the economy and blinds their sight. Thus making it substantially difficult to be hopeful about the economy.

As hopeless as our economy might seem, I believe now is not the time to give up on it. Yes, there is fuel price hike because we do not have enough foreign exchange to finance the imports of needed petroleum products due to shortage in foreign exchange earnings as a result of low crude oil price.

Yes, the situation may not improve anytime soon, and since the sixteen years government of PDP is that of canker worms and locusts which has only left us with massive debt and low foreign reserve in the time of boom.

Yes, the hope that all will be well could have been emboldened if the government of today have foreseen this shortage of foreign exchange and has begun to aggressively build capacity for domestication of crude oil refinement.

Yes, we are facing security issues as so called avengers are blowing up pipelines responsible for transportation of petroleum, thus forcing reduction in barrels of crude oil produced per day, which consequently reduce our foreign exchange earnings.

And yes, I can tell you that we did not vote this government in because it will take our pains away almost immediately. We voted this government into Aso Rock because we believe it will halt the very fast downward crash of our economy and societal values and then gradually reverse the commissions of PDP that was responsible for our woes in the first place.

Today, I am bittered by the fuel hike, battered by its effects but hopeful of tomorrow, knowing that; there is three more years left for us to know if recent events will be reversed or it will continue to degenerate. After all, we endured sixteen years of locusts and canker worms, four years to endure deceit or enjoy good governance should not be too much a sacrifice.

These are the comments of @AAbiolat on fuel price hike...

Fellow Nigerians, greetings to you on this day as we celebrate together the crown we achieved as a reward of the agitation and struggles of our heroes past towards a free society freed from dependence and servitude forcefully imposed on our people over a century ago. The conditions of today may be a stumbling block to the realisation that; this is a day we should and must celebrate. Since it is the attainment of independence that has provided us with the opportunity and capability to chart our path towards economic development; a journey that we have refused to embark on.

Dear compatriots, it is this reality that compelled you to vote "change" in the last general elections which was symbolic in the history of Nigeria democracy and have seen President Muhammadu Buhari being positioned as its ultimate product. This mandate you have invested in President Buhari and the All Progressive Congress, I perceive will not be wasted. It is in hope of a better country that he was given the mandate of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and it is in hope of a better country that he is expected not to stop pursuing the policies that he believes will solve the challenges facing Nigeria.

As our compatriot, he is not immune to our shared pain and patience and I expect him to share in our eagerness to see things change for the good of Nigerians as soon as possible. This feeling is legitimate and well grounded considering where we are coming from, but I must seek your patience, trust and cooperation if we must reach where we are going. I will be a part of our problem if I desist from pointing out where your contributions are needed as patriotic Nigerians. In hope of distancing myself from being the problem, I ask you to be responsible in all you do. Being responsible is the soul of every good attitude and it is the inevitable line of divide between value and vice.

So far so good, President Buhari's administration have attended the challenges of terrorism facing our nation by forming a local coalition through coordination of our armed forces with our neighbours; Chad, Niger, Cameroon, and seeking military aid from the G7 leaders. All theses efforts have not only allowed us to stand up to the challenges of Boko Haram attacks on our northeastern territories but has also given us victory in some of our previously occupied territories against Boko Haram and the victorious campaign continue still. However the necessity to address any threat to our national security can never be overemphasized. In the spirit of ensuring security particularly in northeast and in Nigeria as a whole, it is expected that the Nigerian government of today must not only assure compatriots in this Nigerian region that security vigilance will be heightened and tightened but must also ensure it.

Though power supply has become more stable today than previous times, we are still lagging behind compared to other developing regional and continental neighbours. However, this improvement was not achieved because the Commander-in-Chief makes things happen for he is no magician but because stakeholders in this sector are cooperative, responsible and humane. Certainly, there has been an improvement in the power sector but the efforts of this government in this sector can never be regarded as enough. Thus, our government must continue to consult with stakeholders in this sector and must continue to invest in it, create conditions that will attract investors to invest in it and make such processes transparent enough so as to avoid any form of corruption. Development is unattainable without a constant power supply which is the wheel upon which development proceeds.

Today, it is evident that Nigeria's economy is being challenged by dropping oil prices which has put a tenacious pressure on national income revenues. Prior to this development, we have seen state-owned refineries deteriorating; income revenues from oil proceeds dripping away without hope of being recovered; and corruption eating away the whole sector. Without being forgetful of the status quo in this sector, President Buhari's administration must make it a priority to pursue the introduction of financial prudence and responsibility in this sector; to repair state-owned refineries so that they will be able to refine crude oil at their maximum capacity; audit oil revenues; and probe administrators and other key players in the sector for corruption. Private investors must not be enriched illegally due to mistake, overlook and corruption at the expense of government purse.

In pursuit of providing Nigerians with welfare security, government must never abandon the policy of social welfare system that should attend to the wellbeing of the elderly and the unemployed. The skyrocketing figure of those that are unemployed must never be allowed to gain momentum under this administration. Instead, these figures should be cut down by an increasing number of industries and investments that will bolster the economy. These should not be promises that will not be fulfilled, they should be objectives that this administration must fulfil by promoting, encouraging and investing actively in local manufacturing industry and service providing, which will in turn provide jobs, earn tax income, earn export duties and make local market price to be more competitive.

Nigeria, with a population of an estimated 182,000,000 people with about one out of every four Africans being a Nigerian, is referred to as the giant of Africa. Giant or not, one thing is certain; Nigeria is a principal power in Africa and must start acting as one. This Nigerian government has made it clear that it will not only seek to address security, social and welfare issues challenging its people but will also play the influential role it is strategically positioned to play in regional, continental and global politics. This intention was seen materialised in Burkina Faso and was also reflected in Vice President Yemi Osinbajo's speech which seek to attain a permanent seat in United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Being a permanent member of the UNSC is not a trophy in itself if such privilege will be subjected to the dictates of some global powers, for such privilege must at all times protect life and means to its sustenance, and at all times must protect everything that is right and just. In preparation for such privilege, our foreign policy must chart a new course distant from that of the past that saw our sovereign state; a temporary member of the UNSC, voting to pass resolutions that do not pursue what is right and just but instead pursue the interest of some particular global powers at the detriment of other sovereign states and global citizens. Example of such are the different resolutions passed on Libya and other matters of importance which contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousand and displacement of millions in just few years.

Celebrating this 55th anniversary of Nigeria's independence is incomplete if Nigerians as a people and its goverment will not make a strategic shift towards solving its domestic challenges and playing the role expected of it globally. To achieve this, the government must cooperate with its people to derive the best from this trust that will be established in the spirit of cooperation and development that must be self-sustainable.


Abiola Akintunde

The writer tweets via @AAbiolat on twitter and can be reached via paulakintunde@gmail.com

resty4:
Indeed white americans r double standard. D r chronic racists since 17...

Indeed... Though not all of them are racists since 17...